For the Love of a Good Book

 One of the most important habits you can teach your children is the love of a good book.  It is well known that kids who are avid readers are better spellers, and the best way to improve vocabulary and comprehension is to read.  But did you know that the most successful adults are those that never stop learning and continue to read throughout their lifetime?  Yet amazingly, many adults don’t like to read nor do they pursue it.  So, if we are to foster the love of reading, when do we start?  Right away!
“Books?” you are thinking. “Who reads books anymore?” Now don’t get me wrong, I love my e-reader. Especially when I’m going on vacation and I no longer have to pack the four hard back novels I want to bring. But one doesn’t connect with a digital copy as one does with an actual book. When you pick up a book, you see the cover, you read the title, you notice the author. And each time you come back to that book, you see it and it becomes familiar. Later, when you notice the book on the shelf, you feel the emotions that were generated while you were reading it. That just doesn’t happen on an e-reader. There is no real connection.
So now more than ever, it’s important to establish a children’s library at home. Teach them early to love books, and they will carry that with them throughout life. Start with sturdy board books. Babies especially love books with pictures of other babies. As your children grow, make sure to provide them with ever challenging books to read.  From rhyming books, to picture and story books, to chapter books and finally novels, make sure there is always an age-appropriate book at hand.
Make a little library – it can be a bookshelf, a basket or a box in the car.  Of course, like everything else kid related – books can become expensive.  You have many choices in where to obtain your books. Aside from buying your books at the bookstore, consider the school book fair, borrowing from the public library or organizing a book swap with fellow parents. And of course my favorite, purchase your books second-hand.  You’ll find over 10,000 books for all ages, baby through adult (in addition to 70,000 other great items) at the SCV Kids Consignment sale, all at a fraction of what you would pay at retail!
The spring sale is coming in March. Check the website for more information: www.scvkidsconsignment.com.